Phillip hien



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. HIEN. GAR COUPLING.

(No Model.)

Patented July 26 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' P. HIEN.

v 7 CAR COUPLINGP No. 244,895. PatentedJuly 26,1881.

Fig.8 F|G.9. FIGJG lNVENTOR.

provement by causing the pivoted hook in 6, an enlarged sectional view of coupling-head PHILLIP" HIEN, or Book ISLAND,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BASIL D.

(BUFORD AND SARAH HIEN, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-CO UPLl-NG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,895, dated July 26, 1881.

\ Application filed Math 25,1880. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern Be it know that I, PHILLIP HIEN, a citizen of the United States, residingin Rock Island, Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in Gar-Oouplings,'ot which. the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sundry improvements, fully described hereinafter, in the carcoupling with a pivoted hook for which Letters Patent No. 190,858 were granted to my assignees Sarah Hien and B. D. Buford, May 15, 1877, one of the objects of my. present improvements being the relief of the brakesman or otherattendant from the duty of preparing thecouplin g for the self-locking of the pivoted hook, a duty which is demandedby the said patented coupling and by other couplings of the class to which my invention crelates, but which is obviated in mypres'entimthe act of being opened to so adjust the looking device that it will perform its duty of looking the hook when 'the latter is closed. v

I A further object of my invention is to avoid the use of springs in connection with theflopcrating parts of the coupling, springs being uncertain in their action and liable to be broken during the rough usage to which all couplings are necessarily subjected.

Another object of my invention is to so cover or inclose the locking device within the coup,- ing-head as to protect it from snow and rain which has hitherto been such a seriousobjection to couplings of the class to which my invention relates, especially during the winter months. 1 V

In the] accompanying drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a plan view, partly in section, of my patented coupling; Fig; 2, plans, partly in section, of my improved coupling as it appears when both pivoted hooks are open; Fig. 3, the same, showing botlrpivoted hooks closed and interlocked; Fig. 4, a side view of the coupling; Fig. 5, Sheet 2, a perspective View of coupling-head and pivoted hook detached from each other'and drawn to an enlarged scale; part of the coupling-head being cut away; Figi;

with pivoted hook attached Fig. 7 a perspec- .and 12 sectional diagrams illustrative of the device for locking and releasing the pivoted hook; Figs'.13 and 14, diagranisillustrating the action of a modified locking and releasing device; Figs. 15 and 16, Sheet 1, sectional plans, showing modifications of my improved coupling.

I will refer in the first instance to my former patented coupling, shown in Fig. l,whereA represents one of the couplin g-heads connected to the body of the car in the usual manner, and to a recess in this head is pivoted ahook, B. On one side of the coupling-head is a spring-arm, f, which carries at its end a block, i, adapted to a recess in the hook B. In the act of coupling the pivoted hooks of two draw-heads are interlocked, and the block 2' is forced by its spring into thereccss of the hook, so that the latter will be retained in the position shown in Fig. 1.

The spring-arm is connected by a chain to a lever projecting above the platform, and there retaining this lever in theposition to which it has been moved in unlocking the pivoted book. The manipulations required in my former patent are as follows: First, in uncoupling the attendant must so manipulate the. lever as to withdraw the block i, the lever being retained by the above-mentioned notch, so that'the springf may be prevented from restoring the block to the recess; second, prior to coupling the attendant must be at hand to move the lever from its retaining-notch and permit the spring to force the block to its place so as to lock the pivoted hook.

One of the objects of my present invention is to relieve the attendant from the latter duty by the device substantially as described herejinafter, so that the pivoted hook cannot be opened in uncoupling without setting the locking device for the performance of its duty in coupling.

The construction of my improved coupling may be best explained by referring to the enlarged perspective view, Fig. 5, and the enlarged sectional plan, Fig. 6. t

portion of the pivoted hook B, which, exoepting in the features described hereinafter,

tive view of the lifting-pin; Figs. 8, 9,10, 11,

is the same as in my said patent, fits freelyin is a notch in the hand-rail of the plattb'rm for a recess in the coupling-head A and is pivoted to the same by a pin, a. A locking-block, D, is free to slide vertically in ways in the coupling-head, and this block can be raised by elevating a pin, G, which slides freely through the coupling-head, and which is provided with a projection to act on the under side of the block. hen this block is depressed it resists all attempts to open the pivoted hook and move it outward, the block retaining the said hook in the position shown in Fig. 3, for the hook is provided with a projection, c, which bears against the locking-block. When the latter is elevated, however, beyond the range of the said projection e the hook is at liberty to open in uncoupling, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen that this locking-block D performs the same functions as the block 2' in my former patent, and that the same manipulation would be required in attending to the coupling as that explained above in the absence of the automatic mechanism, which I will now proceed to describe.

Within the couplinghead is an angular pocket, d, and in the latter is a loose dog, :0, the lower end of which bears on the bottom of the pocket. The upper end of the dog being the heaviest it has a tendency to be self-tilt ing against the inclined side of the pocket and to lean with its nose toward the locking-block, so that when the latter is elevated the dog will fall forward with its nose beneath the said block and will retain the latter in its elevated position; but when the pivoted hook is moved outward in uncoupling its projection ewill come in contact with the dog, tiltthe latter backward in the pocket and release the block, which will fall onto the above-mentioned projection cot the hook, and there it will remain until the said projection c is moved away from the block, when the latter will fall so as to lock the hook in the position shown in Fig. 3.

It will be seen that by the above-described combinationinacouplingofthepivoted hooka locking block and dog-the said hook cannot be opened in uncoupling without setting the block in a condition to automatically perform its locking duty when that duty is demanded in coupling, and hence that the only manipulation required is the simple lifting of the block in order to uncouple.

A more complete understanding of the action of the loekin g block and dog in obedience to the movement of the pivoted hook may be imparted by referring to the diagrams, Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive. In Fig.8 the locking-block is elevated, having been raised by means of the pin G, which, after performing this duty, is permitted to fall, while the block is supported by the dog as. On moving the hook outward in uncoupling, the projection e of the said hook will tilt the dog back, as shown in Fig. 9, until it is free from the block, when the latter will fall onto the said projection e, as in Fig. 10, where the bottom of said block is below the nose of the dog. As the hook swings inward,

in coupling, the projection e is withdrawn from beneath the block, and the latter, being free from the control of the dog, will fall and lock the pivoted hook, as in Fig. 11, and here it will remain until the block is again elevated by raising the pin G, as in Fig. 12.

The dog, instead ofibeing contained in a pocket in the coupling-head, may be carried by the pivoted hook, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the operation and results being precisely the same as those described above, for when the pivoted hook B is moved inward the dog will be in a position for its nose to support the block when the latter is raised, and on opening the hook in uncoupling it will carry the dog away from the block and the latter will fall onto the projection c of the hook preparatory to falling still farther when the hook is closed. This modification is also shown in Fig. 16, Sheet 1.

\Vhile different devices-a spring-catch, for instance-for performing the same functions as the dog will readily suggest themselves to an expert mechanic, the dog is to be preferred as it performs its duty by gravity and obviates the necessity of using springs, which are always objectionable in couplings.

The block slides in a box-like projection or cover, h, cast 011 the coupling-head-an important feature of this part of my invention, for the cover at all times prevents the access to the interior of the coupling-head of snow and rain, which have proved to be a serious obstacle to the success of couplings of the class to which my invention relates, especiallyin the winter months, when the freezing of water which has found access to the coupling-head necessarilyinterferes with the operating parts. The projection c is not so thick as that portion of the pivoted hook which enters the couplinghead, but it may be of the same thickness, in .which case a higher cover, It, would be required for a block, which must necessarily be raised higher than when the projection is reduced in thickness, as shown; hence I prefer this reduction.

The object of the peculiarly-constructed pin G is as follows: Wherevera lifting-pin is placed there must necessarily be an opening in the coupling-head to receive it, and should a pin be attached to the top of the block and pass through. the cover h, as shown in Fig. 11, the rain would enter the opening; hence I lift the dog from below by a projection on a pin, G, which pin passes through the coupling-head, preferably at a point where the latter is solid, so that water cannot gain access to the interior of the said coupling-head.

In the modification shown in Fig. 15 the dog 00 occupies a position in a pocket at the back of the block, instead of at one side of the same, an arrangement which demands a protuberance, m, of less prominence on the couplinghead than in the plans previously described.

1 It is not essential that the loekingblock and dog should be in the precise position shown,

IIO

for the block may be situated at any point where it. can be interposed between the back of the pivoted hook and the coupling-head.

I claim as my invention- 1. A coupling in which are combined the 7 following elements, namely: first, a couplinghook pivoted to the coupling-head; second, a block for lockin g and releasing the hook, and, third, devices whereby the hook, on being opened, is caused to set the block for the auto- 'matic locking of the hook when the latter is closed,a1l substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the coupling-head, pivoted hook, and locking-block with a dog, w, adapted to a recess in the said coupling-head or in the pivoted hook, substantially as described, so as to admit of being tilted and so as to fall by its own gravity, as set forth.

3. The combination of thepivoted hook, locking-block, and dog with a coupling-head having covered recesses for the reception of the said block and dog, substantially as specified.

scribing witnesses.

. PHILLIP HIEN. Witnesses:

JAMES ToBrN, HARRY SMITH. 

